Home Environment (page 3)

We have stressed in this text that children are motivated to work on activities and learn new information and skills when their environments are rich in interesting activities that arouse their curiosity and offer moderate challenges. The same can be said about the home environment. Unfortunately, there is much variability in motivational influences in homes. Some homes have many activities that stimulate children’s thinking, as well as computers, books, puzzles, and the like. Parents may be heavily invested in their children’s cognitive development, and spend time with them on learning. Other homes do not have these resources and adults in the environment may pay little attention to children’s education (Eccles et al., 1998).

Much of the variability in the relation between family income and children’s intellectual development comes not from SES but rather from the family’s provision of a stimulating home environment (Young, Linver, & Brooks-Gunn, 2002). As Meece (2002) noted:

Few child development researchers today question the influence of the environment on children’s intellectual development...Children’s intellectual development is most strongly influenced by the home environment during infancy and early childhood when they are under the direct influence of parents. As children mature, schools and peers also begin to play a role in their intellectual socialization. (p. 208)

There is much evidence supporting the hypothesis that the quality of a child’s early learning in the home environment relates positively to the development of intelligence and reading skills (Meece, 2002; Sénéchal & Lefevre, 2002), and parental involvement in schooling also predicts achievement (Englund, Luckner, Whaley, & Egeland, 2004). Various home factors have been shown to be important: mother’s responsiveness, discipline style, and involvement with the child; organization of the environment; availability of appropriate learning materials; opportunities for daily stimulation. Parents who provide a warm, responsive, and supportive home environment; encourage exploration; stimulate curiosity; and provide play and learning materials accelerate their children’s intellectual development (Meece, 2002).